________________
The Lokayata, Nāstika and Cārvāka
525
interest us only so far as they may be considered similar to the other nästika teachings. But unlike other nästikas, Gosāla believed not only in rebirths but also introduced a special doctrine of reanimation1. Several other doctrines which are not of philosophical, ethical or eschatological interest but which refer only to Ajivaka dogmatics are related both in the Digha Nikaya, 11. 20, and in the Bhagavati-sutra, xv, and have been elaborately dealt with by Hoernlé in his article on the Ajivaka and his translation of the Uvāsagadasão. The two important points that we need take note of here are that the Ajivakas who were an important sect did not believe in the efficiency of our will or our karma and regarded sexindulgence as unobjectionable to recluses. Other heretics are also alluded to in the Sutra-kṛtānga sūtra, I. III. 4. 9-14, where they also are alluded to as having similar tendencies2. Thus it is said: "Some unworthy heretics, slaves of women, ignorant men who are averse to the Law of the Jainas, speak thus: 'As the squeezing of a blister or boil causes relief for some time, so it is with (the enjoyment of) charming women. How could there be any sin in it? As a ram
it is said that some wrongdoers and others who belong to the Jaina circle have turned their faces from the laws imposed upon them by Jina and are slaves of women. Hoernlé says (Ajivaka, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, p. 261) that this passage refers to the followers of Gosala. But there is no evidence that it is so, if at least we believe in Silanka's commentary. Silanka explains "ege" or "eke" as bauddha-viseṣā nīla-paṭādayaḥ natha-vādika-maṇḍala-praviṣṭā vā śaiva-visesāḥ and pasattha as sad-anuṣṭhānāt pārsve tişṭhanti iti parśvasthāḥ sva-yuthyā vā pārsvasthā-vasanna-kuśa-lā-dayaḥ stri-pariṣaha-parājitāḥ. Thus, according to him, it refers to some Buddhists wearing blue garments, the natha-vādins, the Saivas, or some Jains with bad characters, or bad people in general.
1 Gosala thought that it was possible that one person's soul could reanimate other dead bodies. Thus, when he was challenged by Mahāvīra, who forbade his disciples to hold any intercourse with him, he is reported to have said that the Makkhaliputta Gosala who was the disciple of Mahavira was long dead and born in the abode of the gods while he was in reality Udayi-kuṇḍiyāyaṇīya, who in the seventh and the last change of body through reanimation had entered Gosāla's body. According to Gosala, a soul must finish eighty-four thousand mahā-kalpas during which it must be born seven times in the abode of the gods and seven times as men, undergoing seven reanimations, exhausting all kinds of karmas. See Bhagavati-sutra, xv. 673, Nirnaya Sagaraed. See also Hoernlé's two Appendices to his translation of Uvasagadasão and the article on Ajivika, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, p. 262. A mahā-kalpa is equal to 300,000 saras and one sara is the time required to exhaust the sands of the seven Ganges (each Ganges being 500 yojanas or 2250 miles in length, 2 miles in breadth, and 50 dhanus or 100 yards in depth), at the rate of putting 100 years for the removal of one grain of sand. See ibid.; also Rockhill's Appendix I to his Life of the Buddha.
2 According to Silanka they were a sect of Buddhists wearing blue garments, Saivas, the Nathas, and some degraded Jains also.
